Tokyo Olympics, in one shot
Being a photographer means constantly adapting to change. Cameras advance, from black-and-white film to high-resolution digital.
Frame rates that rival the speeds of video images and autofocus surpassing the ability of the human eye. The Olympics also evolve. The location, the events and, this year, pandemic conditions changed our view of the Games.
However, throughout the decades, one detail remains steadfast – the discerning, creative eye of the photographer. Over the course of the Tokyo Olympics, Associated Press photographers recorded a remarkable 66,621 images.
The Shot is a monthly series showcasing top photojournalism from staff photographers at The Associated Press. Each month, AP photographers will share the stories behind some of their iconic imagery.
Produced by AP News staff. The presenting sponsor was not involved in the creation of this content.
Here, they share some of those split-second moments that will last a lifetime.
Charlie Riedel
The honor guard’s white-glove treatment, gently supporting the Japanese flag as it’s raised, symbolizes the dignity and respect I witnessed in my interactions with the Japanese people. The games are not just about sports, but about meeting different people and experiencing different cultures. The Japanese did indeed impress.
Ashley Landis
After we learned Biles had pulled out of the competition, we had to figure out how to illustrate the moment.
Biles was pacing as she put on her warmups. She was clearly distraught. I looked for any visible reason for her withdrawal. Then I saw the Olympic rings on the wall over where she stood. I moved to line her up with the rings, and she put her calloused hand over her mouth. It was like she had a second of disbelief. That picture told the story of that emotional moment.
Model: Sony ILCE-9M2 | Lens: 24mm | F-Stop: 3.2 | Shutter Speed: 1/1600 | ISO: 3200
Simone Biles, of the United States, enters the court for the artistic gymnastics women's final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Gregory Bull
After the vaults, I watched the team come toward the uneven bars and realized something was wrong. No Simone Biles.
I traced back the path between the bars and vault and found a medical office right off the main athletes entrance. Could she be in there? When a panicked looking official came rushing out with paperwork, and a U.S. team trainer went in, I knew I was in the right spot.
Biles emerged, seeming a bit lost. When she told her teammates she was out, they just listened, hugged her and carried on, as she urged them to do.
Model: Sony ILCE-1 | Lens: 400mm | F-Stop: 3.5 | Shutter Speed: 1/1600 | ISO: 2500
Simone Biles, of the United States, smiles as Tang Xijing, of China, left, embraces teammate Guan Chenchen after the latter won the gold medal on the balance beam during the artistic gymnastics women's apparatus final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. Biles won the bronze medal. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Natacha Pisarenko
We photographers always look for moments of dejection when someone does not win, but Simone Biles turned that formula on its head. I could see she was sincerely basking in her competitors’ happiness. And when she posed with the bronze medal, she wore a huge smile.
I found it powerful to watch another woman truly prioritize herself, regardless of the external pressures. Her victory was facing her inner, personal dark moment and getting back into the arena when she was ready. She was in control of her own destiny.
Jin-Man Lee
The opening ceremony for the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics was completely different from other huge events. No crowds, easy walking and no queue for toilets. I started to walk around a near-empty stadium and saw someone wave Japanese national flags from their apartments. They also were decorated with Olympic letters and Tokyo Olympics flags. It was an emotional moment for me.
Andrew Medichini
The most peculiar portion of modern pentathlon is the show jumping, in which athletes have just 20 minutes to get to know horses assigned to them in a draw. This can lead to disasters: Horses refusing to jump, horses wandering around the course, and spectacular falls like this one.
This obstacle had already proven problematic for other riders, so I had been keeping an eye on it. The horse cleared the jump, but the rider flew over its head, ending up on the ground and between its legs. Luckily with no consequences for the horse or the rider.
Model: Sony ILCE-9M2 | Lens: 85mm | F-Stop: 1.3 | Shutter Speed: 1/16000 | ISO: 100
Australia's Henry Hutchison takes an ice bath in a garbage bin following a men's rugby sevens practice at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, in Tokyo, Friday, July 23, 2021. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
David Goldman
During the Australian team’s rugby practice, I noticed volunteers filling empty trash bins with ice. I thought, there’s no way these guys will get in there out in the open like this. But I waited around for the end. Sure enough, one by one they plunged themselves into an ice bath under the scorching heat.
We’re so used to seeing athletes in motion, the celebration, the dejection, the medals. We don’t often get to see the healing behind the bruising. An Olympian in a moment of solitude repairing himself for what’s to come, the calm before the storm.
David J. Phillip
One of my favorite underwater shots from the Tokyo Olympics was this photo of Australia's Kyle Chalmers starting a 100-meter freestyle race. The difference in clarity from past games is remarkable. The sharpness and speed of our new Sony cameras gave us an edge in producing the best quality images. We used Telemetrics underwater robotic heads to cover the swimming and diving events. Turning the camera in different positions helps maximize the number of moments we can capture. I’ve always enjoyed taking photographs underwater at swimming and diving events as well as recreational diving around the world. They’ve never looked better.
Jae C. Hong
At the marathon swimming events in the Odaiba Marine Park, backdropped by the famed Rainbow Bridge, the stands were empty except for the Tokyo 2020 banners.
With a cold towel wrapped around his head and shoulders, Spain’s marathon winner Alberto Martinez sobbed on his way back to the tent. He finished 18th out of 24, far from glory.
His coach comforted the emotional swimmer on the empty triathlon course. The rest of his supporters were several thousand miles away, trying to pinpoint him on TV through the slashes of swimmers.
Frank Franklin II
Everything about this Olympics – our shooting locations and positions, how we communicate with one another, how we solve problems – is different due to COVID-19.
That night, it took a lot more energy and hard work on the technical side to put myself in a position to succeed visually. More than anything, I was grateful for all the help I got along the way.
Despite the frustration we're all feeling, we still focus on what's important and get it done - even if it takes way more patience than usual.
Mark Humphrey
Covering 74 water polo matches in 16 days made me aware of details I might not have picked on in just a few matches.
To move the ball from one end of the pool to the other, players bump it with their heads and shoulders. I wanted to show this part of the game. I used a 600-mm lens and got as low to the water as I could to shoot tight.
This picture of Italy’s Alessandro Velotto during a match against South Africa shows the concentration required to control the ball, with his one eye visible behind the non-stop splashing water.
Morry Gash
My assignment at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics: shooting images from cameras, mostly mounted in catwalks and trusses, looking down on athletes.
After the women finished the heptathlon, they posed on the Olympic rings, looking up at the camera directly above them and showing great emotion. At that moment, The OBS SkyCam swooped into the frame of the AP remote and blocked what would have been some great pictures.
Fortunately, for the men's decathlon, the SkyCam never came into the frame and the result was my favorite from the Olympics.
Petr David Josek
In the men’s 100-meter, Fred Kerley of the U.S. led pretty much the whole way, so I focused on him. Then in the last few meters, Italian Lamont Jacobs overcame Kerley and won. I missed the thrill of getting the tight shot of the winner.
The 200-meter men’s gave me another chance. Andre De Grasse of Canada looked a tiny bit ahead so I decided to stay with him.
The race was so tight it took even De Grasse a while to realize he’d won gold. By the time he started celebrating he was very close to me. I was super tight with my 400 mm lens but managed a few frames in focus. This shot made up for the 100-meter disappointment.
Bernat Armangue
Olympic assignments are usually an opportunity to visit a new country and meet up with colleagues from all over the world. Tokyo 2020 has been a different experience: masks, social distancing, confinements, daily PCR tests, less travel, and of course, no big gatherings.
Some things did not vanish: the waves, the breeze, the blue horizon. Given these strange times, that’s enough to bring a sense of freedom and a smile on your face.
Christophe Ena
In bicycle racing, the greatest danger is falling. Shooting track doesn’t mean waiting for a crash. Otherwise photos would always be the same frames. But when a crash happens you’d better be there.
Carolyn Kaster
The speed and force with which Israel's Teddy Vlock and his horse Amsterdam 27 were thrown to the ground as they crashed into a jump brought home how powerful these horses are, and how difficult Olympic show jumping is.
I was at a low angle with a Sony A9 II and a 400 2.8 mm lens. As they approached the oxer jump it went wrong. Amsterdam 27’s legs tangled in the rails and went forward and down. Vlock was thrown, landing hard as the horse bolted up and away. Medical aid rushed in. Both horse and rider are reportedly unharmed.
Thibault Camus
For the men's mountain bike race, I chose a position that allowed me to photograph riders in full jump – an essential shot for a cycling competition.
One favorite was Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel, who left the Tour de France mid-race to compete in Tokyo. This provoked the indignation of some cyclists who denounced a disrespectful attitude towards the Tour.
I waited for van der Poel during this first jump. When he fell and lost any chance of a medal, I photographed his fall in slow motion. Not the most academic way to illustrate the race, but it seemed appropriate.
Frank Augstein
I was covering volleyball for the first time, and I was amazed at the team spirit. To see the coach honored this way says a lot about the team character. At the start of our coverage, we focused on action pictures, reducing everything to the minimum like showing the hands. But in the end it’s all about emotions.
Model: Sony ILCE-1 | Lens: 197mm | F-Stop: 3.2 | Shutter Speed: 1/1600 | ISO: 1600
Argentina's Luis Scola (4) is hugged by teammate Facundo Campazzo as he receives an emotional standing ovation from his team, Australia players, and others in attendance when he was pulled from the game in the final moments of a men’s basketball quarterfinal round game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
Bronze, silver, and gold aren’t the only measures of success. Argentina's Luis Scola, marking his fifth Olympics for the country’s basketball team, was pulled from the game with just seconds remaining. This set off a standing ovation from his coaches and teammates, officials, the Australian team, and most everyone else. The act brought the 41-year-old to tears. As the moment lingered, Facundo Campazzo stepped over to hug his veteran teammate. The moment marked Scola’s dedication, talent and the respect he’s earned in the sport, making him a winner in life.
Model: Sony ILCE-1 | Lens: 400mm | F-Stop: 5.6 | Shutter Speed: 1/1600 | ISO: 6400
Egypt’s Mohamed Shebib reacts after their 27-23 lost to France in the men's semifinal handball match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
Sergei Grits
After Egypt’s loss to France in the men’s semifinal handball match, Mohamed Shebib – a tall and strong man who is not afraid of pain and hard work – sits and cries.
Years of training gave him and his teammates hope they would conquer the top award in the sport world. But their rivals won 27-23. And the path to the highest step of the pedestal closed.
The joyful side of winning the Olympic medal has a downside. There are always losers, and they suffer. As journalists, we should show that side to complete the picture of the Games.
Kirsty Wigglesworth
The changing light at the canoe slalom course at Tokyo 2020 was often challenge and I wanted to find an angle to show how close the athletes get to the poles without touching them which would otherwise incur penalty points. The concentration showing on the face of Bradley Forbes-Cryans of Britain as he gets milimetres away from the pole of the gate to save as much time as possible also shows the flexibilty and strength used to maneuver his boat and turn without hitting the pole whie being buffeted by the currents of the whitewater.
Martin Mejia
Usually I’m assigned to ground level, so being above the tribune was exciting. That position offered me the perfect angle to show the U.S. and Canada teams taking the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. I knew a short lens would be key to showing all the players, united in this gesture of support of racial equality. They only knelt a few seconds, but my lens and I were ready for it.
Aaron Favila
For days, I had carefully studied the movements of wrestlers and trying to get the most interesting angle – they move quite fast. I waited for the perfect moment to get this frame and with the dark background that isolates the subjects.
Model: Sony ILCE-1 | Lens: 600mm | F-Stop: 4 | Shutter Speed: 1/1250 | ISO: 250
Chad's Marlyse Hourtou shoots an arrow during the women's individual eliminations at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alessandra Tarantino
It’s always a challenge to capture that imperceptible moment when the archer’s fingers let go of the arrow. At dusk, almost at the end of women’s individual eliminations, I moved from the main photo position in front of the archer to another spot on the side. Capturing the arrow after release would be almost impossible, but the spot was worthy for producing a silhouette.
In a ray of golden light, Marlyse Hourtou of Chad arrived. She paused, she shot. The arrow was in the photo.
Model: Sony ILCE-1 | Lens: 49mm | F-Stop: 5 | Shutter Speed: 1/800 | ISO: 3200
Keydomar Giovan Vallenilla Sanchez of Venezuela celebrates after the last lift in the men's 96kg weightlifting event, at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 31, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Luca Bruno
In the 17 Olympics I’ve covered, this is the first time I’ve had the chance to manage a remote camera, positioned to capture the zenith of the action. In this shot, Keydomar Giovan Vallenilla Sanchez of Venezuela celebrates after the last lift in the men's 96kg weightlifting event. He won the silver medal and exploded in celebration, looking exactly towards the camera. It looks like a photo of a dream come true.
Model: Sony ILCE-1 | Lens: 400mm | F-Stop: 2.8 | Shutter Speed: 1/1250| ISO: 2500
A man wearing a Japanese flag watches the women's soccer match between Japan and Chile at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Rifu, Japan. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Andre Penner
After covering the pandemic in hospitals and cemeteries in Brazil, this was reminder of the global impact the pandemic has on all our lives and the largest sporting event the world. Sports without the fans is like a theater without spectators.
Markus Schreiber
The most unique aspect of this Olympics is the absence of spectators. So it was a very sad moment to see a woman operating a remote-controlled Olympic mascot – the Miraitowa ‘robot’ – in the empty stands of the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, the venue for the Olympic badminton competition. Whoever has ever experienced the atmosphere at an Olympic finale in a hall knows what a loss it is.
Model: Sony ILCE-1 | Lens: 121mm | F-Stop: 3.2 | Shutter Speed: 1/20000 | ISO: 500
An Australian player warms up prior to the women's bronze medal soccer match against the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, in Kashima, Japan. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Fernando Vergara
Every afternoon at the Ibaraki Kashia stadium when the first half of the Olympic soccer match is played, lights and lowlights are created, making it difficult to take a good photo. I spent nearly 10 games searching for the moment that would lend itself to playing with the highlights. This player from Canada gave me the opportunity.
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